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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long law enforcement pursuit ending with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a police statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“The keys were stolen out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was occurring,” she said, adding that the vehicle is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase proceeded into LA County. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the pursuit to the CHP once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This one is very unique in the context of the traffic conditions allowing individuals to persist on the freeway and prolong this chase,” commented a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters indicated on the following day that the vehicle was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the car,” Walters remarked. “I’m more at ease aware she wasn’t hurt. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

“This represents a mental health and addiction crisis,” she said. “There is a need for more support. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” she added.